NHTSA Complaint #10262714 — 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE

I PURCHASED A 97 CADILLAC DEVILLE IN JANUARY 07. FROM THE START IT HAD PROBLEMS. IT WOULDN'T CRANK RIGHT AND HAD VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. TRIED MANY DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS BUT NONE WORKED. CAR STILL WOULD NOT CRANK RIGHT. IN 08, I PURCHASED A NEW STARTER AND ALTERNATOR. NOTHING WORKED. AFTER 9 MONTHS, THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. HAD TO GET A REPLACEMENT, PLUS PAY AGAIN FOR THE LABOR BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO DID THE FIRST TIME WOULD NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. SO I HAD ANOTHER PLACE PUT ON THE NEW ALTERNATOR. I ALSO HAD THE SAME LOCATION REPLACE MY RADIATOR THAT HAD CRACKED AND HAD BEEN LEAKING RAPIDLY. NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS AFTER GETTING ALL THE NEW PARTS, ON MARCH 19 2009, I HAD BEEN TRYING TO CRANK THE CAR. IT WOULD NOT CRANK. IT SUDDENLY POPPED AND STARTED SMOKING. IT HAD DONE THIS BEFORE AND CRUNK RIGHT UP. SO I GO TO CRANK THE CAR UP AGAIN, ITS STARTED SMOKING EVEN MORE AND AS SOON AS I OPENED THE HOOD, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT SURE BUT MENTIONED IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE BATTERY, THE NEW WORK THAT I HAD GOTTEN DONE OR SOMETHING ELECTRICAL. WHEN ASKED IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED, FIRE CHIEF STATED THAT THEY DID NOT THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH PUTTING ALL THE MONEY INTO AND STATED THAT IT WAS TOTALED. HAD TO WAIT TO GET THE REPORT SO IM UNSURE OF WHAT THEY SAY THE CAUSE WAS. NOW I AM OUT A VEHICLE BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE COLLISION. I PUT ALOT INTO THIS CAR AND THINK THAT ALL INFORMATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO OLD AND NEW OWNERS TO ALERT THEM OF ANY RECALLS, CHANGES, AND WHAT EVER ELSE. *TR